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Does Mailing List Plugins Really Helps To Increase Conversion Rate?

It doesn’t matter if you are a novice blogger or running a Fortune 500 company; You need a mailing list. When you talk about mailing list, it is all about the conversion rate so to speak.

But, let’s not forget something very important. We need to find ways to save money too!

Now, how does saving money and conversion rates come into play?

As a blogger, you might have ask, heard and even read about building a mailing list (plus how important it is). I recently wrote an article on the differences between Hybrid Connect and OptinSkin which I highly recommend it for your reading. Find the complete comparison here.

What happens if you don’t want to spend extra money for a plugin that is ‘so-called’ able to help you to build a massive mailing list? You opts and search for a better way out right?

Basically, the biggest question here is to find a cheaper way to build an email list. Being a stingy person, I totally (and I really mean TOTALLY) understand how hard it is to come out that $50 from my wallet.

I thought about this when Sam Adeyinka asked me if I had any scripts on my WordPress blog. For your info, he’s the man behind Promovator who had recently interviewed me too.

I uses Hybrid Connect on my site and even OptinSkin on my secondary sites. Both are pretty great BUT is there really another way for bloggers to build a mailing list … you know, the cheaper way without letting go rich premium features?

Enjoy the video below to give you a quick insight on what the topic is all about.

Building a good converting mailing list minus the cost

Since I am already using AWeber, it is a no-brainer to continue to use it right? Furthermore, I don’t believe I have used it to the maximum yet. I am paying $16.16 per month for it and I have no plans to put it to waste.

Therefore, I wonder what could AWeber actually do to help me save more money and increase the sign up rate (more than Hybrid Connect)?

Does it sounds like I am pushing my luck?

I know you are wondering this. Yes and yes! I have both Hybrid Connect and OptinSkin plugins. However, I am wondering if there is any other way for bloggers to build an email list without the help of these plugins.

It doesn’t matter if you are using AWeber or any other email marketing providers but it is very possible to achieve what these godly list building plugins can offer … with some tweaks of course.

Since I am using AWeber, this article will be closely related to it but the concept should work with any other email marketing providers.

When you are creating a sign up with AWeber, you are given several types of optin forms to choose from such as:

In-line

Pop-over

Lightbox

Pop-up

They can easily be definite with the explanation below:

In-line = Appears within the current web page body

Pop-over = Hovers within the web page. Usually unblockable

Lightbox = Identical to a Pop-over but it darkens your webpage

Pop-up = Opens in a new window. Blocked by most browsers

You wouldn’t need to have a professional degree to tell you that AWeber is actually offering nearly everything a premium mailing plugin has to offer.

Moral of the story: You do not need a mailing list plugin to help you build one. However, having a plugin to help you do that could actually save you more time and is extremely great for those who lack of designer’s imagination (like me).

The truth and myth about conversion rate and mailing list plugin

There are probably a thousand Internet Marketers like me trying to sell you Hybrid Connect and OptinSkin. We are most likely to tell you what those plugins can actually help you and hey, some are really true.

Don’t believe? Have a look here on what Hybrid Connect and OptinSkin can provide. Now, tell me if they tell you exactly what I said above.

Here’s the ice breaker. Do you actually see what we are NOT trying to sell you?

Okay, take a moment to think about it.

…

…

…

I hope you got it my friend. They are NOT telling you that there is a high chance that your lovely email marketing provider could actually do the same (or even better) for you when it comes to marketing!

Yes, we are talking about zero coding skills and all you need is a simple designer mindset.

So. how about the promised conversion rate?

Here’s something to debunk. Have you ever seen an advertisement saying that “… we guarantee you xyz% increase of conversion or your money back …”?

I bet you do and in fact, we all have right?

Now think (and think hard).

How many potential buyers for that product actually tried that ‘method’ with their own email marketing provider before purchase?

From my point of a consumer, I don’t many of us actually try it. Yes, even I do not always try ‘that’ with what I currently have.

For example, Hybrid Connect and OptinSkin are promoting pop-up forms and for the record, those are real work of art. However, we (buyers) are so tempted to try them that we had actually forgotten that maybe … and I mean maybe, the current email service provider we are using has the same option too.

Or, we could simply think that the premium product is much better and superior than what we have.

Now, does it make any sense to you?

So, should I or should I not use a mailing list plugin?

The simple reason behind this is that mailing list plugins are easy to use and it doesn’t take a long time to create a sign up form. Plus, these plugins usually offer many different fonts and Call-To-Actions which could be an advantage for most bloggers.

So, what if you decided NOT to use a list building plugin and keep your money instead?

There is where email providers such as AWeber (and a dozen more) comes into play. You could create forms easily with AWeber but usually, the choices of forms are slightly limited but with the right imagination, the sky is your only limit.

What do you think?

Through my experience, having a mailing list plugin is a nice luxury to have but it is certainly not compulsory. Anyone can build and create a high conversion optin form as long as you have the right words and Call-To-Action (CTA).

I always follow by the concept, “Get it if you can afford it”. If not, dream on buddy!

Well, if you are affordable and want to save more time when it comes to building an email list, I would highly recommend you to use either Hybrid Connect or OptinSkin.

Other wise, you may just use the tools your email marketing provider had provided for you and you could save up some money from there.

Reginald Chan

Being the top influencer in blogging and social media, Reginald spends his time helping businesses and startups to boost brand power, increase visibility and growth hacking. He recently took it to a whole new level and co-founded Marketing Lancers, a digital marketing agency in Malaysia.